


Ripples Across Thedas

by Phoray



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Dalish Elven Culture and Customs, F/F, F/M, Implied Sexual Content, Multi, Multiple Wardens
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-17
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2018-08-24 03:57:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8356144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phoray/pseuds/Phoray
Summary: Ripples of Thedas is the story of all my Wardens, Hawkes, and Inquisitors. I have gotten such enjoyment of the game and role played so many different characters that they all feel alive to me. And now, through fanfiction, they can be. Surana was stolen from her home and fights to return, only to find that she has found a new home and a new family. Cousland never had bids for power but the loss of friends and family cause to her to tap into a darkness she never knew was there and a responsibility she never knew she wanted. Tabris expects nothing but a short life with few regrets, and gets thrust into a role she would never have dreamed. Mahariel feels like Fen'harel must be taunting her, and seeks death at it's convenience. Brosca doesn't think highly of herself and wants life to stay simple; but life doesn't stay simple and self love is hard to find. Amell has always lived by the rules, but now he's outside the circle and the rules no longer apply.In the background, Fen'asha'an and Fen'Harel pull their strings to meet their own goals. There are far more spies in Thedas than you'd ever think.





	1. 9:18D Forward to Arlathvhen

"Elli!"

Ellowen looked up from the intricate wooden puzzle of the June’s knot, resting it in the lap of her crossed legs.” "mamae?" She responded, her green eyes latching onto her mother standing next to the aravel. She took after her mother, in a lot of ways. Long black hair, kept in a braid, tucked behind one pointed ear, pale skin, sharp features. But her eyes? She had her father's eyes. Emerald, flecked with amber when caught at the right angle.

"It's time to go, vhenan."

"To the Arlathvhen?" Ellowen asked, excitement making her usually quiet voice much stronger. She stood up, grasping the puzzle tightly in one hand. Her mother smiled, waving her over. 

Ellowen walked as quickly as possibly, her eagerness making quick work of the distance despite her short legs. Her father grunted as he pushed another crate onto the aravel for their long journey, turning around as she came near. A smile breaking across his features, he crouched low, putting out his hands to capture her around the waist. She jumped at the opportunity, and managed a hefty amount of giggles as he raised her up, spinning, before settling her onto the bench of the same aravel he'd just been loading. 

Her father tickled her, which made her huff as she tried to hold her laughter in. He gave up on it, and turned serious. "It's to be a long journey, Da'len. Three or four weeks. Remember when we moved camps last year? Longer than that. You will have to act older than your six years to bear through it. Can you manage it?"

Solemnly, Ellowen nodded. Father matched her solemn look with one of his own as he leaned in.... just to catch her in surprise when he tickled her again. This time he succeeded in making her laugh, and with a big smile, returned to his efforts. There were still assorted goods remaining, stacked haphazardly about the remnants of their camp. Nearly all the crates had been loaded, what remained was mostly odds and ends; extra masts for the aravels' sails, knap sacks, here and there, that belonged to the loaders. One of the other elven children had made a wreath, now abandoned, out of some of the ivy found commonly growing on the trees here. It looked lonely, and Ellowen turned her gaze to her mother, who was tying the sails down more tightly beside her. 

"Mamae, will we ever come back here again?" 

Her mother looked around the area with her light cornflower eyes, and shrugged. "The Brecillian forest has held many of our clans. I'm sure its trees will host us once more in the future," she held up a finger to stop Ellowen's next question, "although I cannot promise when. The movements of the Dalish are not so planned, vhenan."

Ellowen pouted, and her mother smiled at her, a bit puzzled. "Why do you like it here so much?"

Ellowen gazed off wistfully, her emerald eyes losing a bit of focus, before fiddling once more with the puzzle in her lap. "The trees are nice here."

Her mother raised one brow, curious, but then the noises of incoming halla distracted her from any further questioning.

The clan's Halla Keeper, Patel, was leading a mated pair to each aravel, and theirs was the first. That they were massive to a child was no surprise, but this impression was no falsehood. Four feet to the shoulder, the smallest of them, female, weighed four hundred pounds, while the males could weigh up to six hundred pounds. Their white fur glowed in the morning sunlight with a healthy sheen. Nevertheless, with only two to an aravel, the adults always walked, leaving the weight of the goods and those who could not do the same to sit on the aravels.

The Halla Keeper gracefully bowed her head, arms outstretched in respect, her chosen vallaslin strongly pronounced upon her forehead in purple. "Children of Ghilan'nain, favored of Andruil, we humbly request your guidance on our journey in the coming weeks to a gathering of our clansmen far to the west. Will you lead us so that we do not stray?"

The response from the halla was subtle. Whereas before, the halla seemed relaxed and idle, their stance became alert, heads turned slightly to the side to focus an eye into the Halla Keeper's own. 

"Thank you, children of Ghilan'nain." The Halla Keeper nodded to Ellowen's mother, indicating that the halla could now be harnessed to the aravel, before moving back to the herd to repeat the same ritual for the other nine aravels of their clan.

Ellowen's play mates, Rala and Kita, a brother and sister, were lifted into the aravel to be with Ellowen for the day, the bright red sails casting shadows on them from the morning sun. Ellowen reluctantly placed the June's knot puzzle underneath her bench to start a conversation with them about the upcoming journey to the largest event they'd ever been to. 

Ellowen's father, knap sack on his back and a strong walking stick in one hand, came back to the aravel, patting the male halla on the hindquarters.

"Tabolt," Ellowen's mother said to him quietly, wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning back to look up into his face with a small smile of affection. "When are you going to tell Ellowen that June's knot can't be solved?" 

Tabolt chuckled. "Lana... where would be the fun in that?" He leaned in to kiss her and managed to do so for just about three seconds before Rala started making noises at them from the aravel bench. Tabolt pulled back and grinned, turning his head towards the children. "Your day will come." 

Rala made a face at that and Tabolt chuckled again.

The last of the halla were now harnessed to the aravels, the halla fawns in the aravels with the youngest of the elven children. 

Keeper Mithras took his place at the front of the convoy, standing with legs planted apart for balance. From there, he would manipulate the bushes, trees, and large rocks out of the path of their clan with his magic as he had done many times before. The wilderness they crossed would be as clear of obstacles as the Imperial Highway, giving them all the benefits of flat ground with none of the dangers of the highly populated human roads. 

Talbolt said to Lana and the children. "Well, I see that the time for our journey is upon us. We won't be where we need to be until the Frostback Mountains lay behind us."

\------------

It did not take long before the questions began.

"Mamae, Kita and Rala want to know when we get to eat?"

"When the sun is high in the sky, vhenan."

"Oh." Ellowen paused, looking contemplatively at the gap between the red sails. "But we're hungry now! Why is the sun so low?"

Lana, smiling, glanced over at Tabolt to see his similarly amused reaction. "Because it doesn't know, Elli."

"Oh. Well, can you tell it we want some cheese?"

Tabolt ducked his head to the right, hiding a laugh against his shoulder as he dug his walking stick into the ground more firmly. Which left it to Lana, again, to reply.

"I will try, vhenan, but the sun is very stubborn and may not listen."

Ellowen nodded sagely. "The sun must be very tired then. Hahren Sarn always says I’m tired when I’m being stubborn.” And Ellowen returned back to her playmates.

Even Lana couldn't help but chuckle.

For a time, Lana slowed her pace, trailing one aravel back to speak with Rala and Kita's parents. When Lana caught back up with her own family's aravel twenty minutes later, Ellowen leaned out again, wide emerald eyes curious once more.

"Mamae.... Amae says he has eyes in the back of his head. I can't see them. He said they are hiding in his hair."

Lana grinned widely again. "So he says, vhenan."

Ellowen pouted slightly. "Can I get eyes in the back of my hair?"

Speaking through her smile, Lana replied. "Not until you've grown up, Elli."

Ellowen frowned. "How do grownups get them?"

Lana was quick to respond, used to the rapid fire questions of her curious child. "You get them when you have children of your own, vhenan."

"So I can get them when I'm a mamae?"

"Yes." Lana got even closer to her daughter on the aravel, keeping up a good pace even as the conversation went on.

"Oh. But why do mamaes and ameas have eyes on the back of their heads?"

"So, we can know where you are and see what you are doing ALL the time." Lana replied, reaching out to boop her daughter on the nose.

Ellowen nodded seriously. "That makes sense." She responded, before going back to Rala and Kita to share the new knowledge that had been imparted to her.

Lana skipped a bit to catch up with her husband. She kept her voice down so as to not let on to the children, "Why would you go and tell Elli that we have eyes in the back of our heads?"

Tabolt's eyes sparkled as his teeth flashed. "Because it's funny."

Lana wrinkled her nose at him, mock hitting him on the shoulder, before trailing back a bit. Checking the sun's place in the sky, she dug in her pack. Pulling out a wedge of cheese, she waved it at Ellowen to get her attention. Her daughter carefully came to the side of the moving aravel once more.

"I see the sun was quite stubborn this morning." The child observed, grasping the wedge and heading back to Rala and Kita. Lana, having forgotten the earlier conversation already, looked a bit startled before breaking into peals of laughter. Startled at the sound, the gazes of all three children fell on Lana from the far bench of the aravel. Ellowen, especially, looked at her curiously, a piece of cheese already in her mouth. This stopped her, at least at the moment, from asking even more questions.

It was at this time the Keeper signaled the convoy to stop, to allow both halla and elves time to refresh and stretch. The Keeper did not allow them to dally very long, however, as there were many miles to traverse. As the sun grew higher in the sky, the children's eyes grew droopy. With direction from Lana, the children settled in for a nap that kept them quiet for a few hours.

At the end of the day, both the halla and elves legs were quite weary, so the convoy parked the aravels front to back in a rough circle. Elves bedded down in the center, whereas the halla were trusted to graze nearby with no need for fencing. The hunters of the clan took this opportunity to scout the path ahead and lay nug snares. A rotation for guard duty was assigned with little fuss, the clan falling into the familiar routine. Similar to that of when they changes encampment locations, except extended out over weeks rather than days. With the blessing of the Creators, they hoped every day of the coming weeks would follow this same routine. Wearying, but quiet, with few interruptions or dangers presented from either humans or the wildlife around them.

Their goal was to reach the Frostback Mountains in two weeks, so a stringent pace had been set. When they saw the mountains on the horizon that the view of their goal, even as distant as they were, put some energy back into their pace and a smile on some faces.

Tabolt, who had been up front discussing things with the Keeper and other senior hunters, came back to their family's aravel and resumed his steady pace with his walking stick with no comment. Lana stared at her husband expectantly, but still nothing came her way.

Impatient, she came as close to the taut harness between aravel and halla as she could. "Tabolt," she said, her tone peeved.

"Hmmm?" Tabolt replied companionably, cocking his head her direction. 

"So-- what's the plan?"

"Ah, the plan." He turned his face even more towards her, coming closer to the harness as well. Lana leaned in attentively. "I was thinking that I'd chat with Sarn about watching Elli for a bit while we took a walk around one of the hills tonight." His brow raised, his voice dropped lower suggestively. "Maybe we find a small cave, kill a few spiders, then cool off from the battle by taking off all our clothes. What do you say?"

Lana snorted in annoyance, but her lips twitched in an almost smile in spite of herself. She cleared her throat to make sure her put upon tone was still in place.

"Tabolt. The plan about how to cross the Frostbacks that you just discussed with the Keeper."

"Ahhh, that plan," Tabolt said, not discouraged in the least. "It's not changed since the last time we made the journey. Why so worried, Lana?"

Lana tugged on her braid, a nervous habit, looking at the pebbles strewn across the grass of the Hinterlands they were passing through. " I don't know. I guess it may be because Ellowen is with us this time. "

Tabolt's face melted from rogueish glee to sympathy. "Very well, Lana. If it makes you feel better, I'll lay it all out. As you know already, we can't quickly navigate across the Frostbacks without using the shemlen's road. Being that it's the largest road in Thedas, it has a lot of traffic, merchants and what have you."

Lana blushed and interrupted him. "I'm not Ellowen, vhenan. I know why we're using the Imperial Highway."

Tabolt shifted his knapsack to more comfortable position, and went on as if he hadn't been interrupted. "Fereldan is pretty tolerant of us, especially since King Maric has been ruling in Denerim. Orlais, however, has this bad habit of sending out Dalish-hunting parties. And wouldn't they like to know if a few thousand of us are suddenly in one place."

"Tabolt," Lana growled out in warning. Tabolt held up one hand to placate her.

"We approach the Imperial Highway from the south. The day we can see the road at furthest sight, we stop the convoy. Eh'mal and I will will scout closer; Eh'mal to the west and I to the east. When darkness falls and the road has been quiet for a half hour, we'll report back to Keeper Mithras. All of us will jump into the aravels, and the Keeper and his first will fill the sails with their magic and speed us onto the road. We follow it until it seems clear enough for the aravels to come off again, somewhere in the foothills about five to ten miles west of where we started. No more to it, Lana."

Lana had been nodding along, marking off a check list in her mind. "And if we run into someone?" She fretted.

Tabolt's grin was feral and unpleasant this time. "We've got arrows and mages. One thing they definitely don't have? Something worth protecting."


	2. 9:18D Arlathvhen Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Completed Chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who wonder, I am using the Map of the Exalted Plains in DAI for my "directions" to places and references to rivers.

The convoy of aravels were quite a distance south of the highway, hiding their bright red sails within the curve of the horizon. As they waited for nightfall, the hunters, Tabolt among them, scouted out the traffic of the highway. The small specks of the merchants to the north kept them on edge. The children took this release from the monotony of travel to stretch their legs and chase each other. Even Ellowen had grown tired of trying to tease out the puzzle that was June's Knot and gave chase to Rala and Kita in a game of tag around the wheels of the aravels. More than one parent was exasperated with the fussiness of their children. Even Lana and Tabolt, quite fond of their only child, had grown weary of her seemingly endless questions, no matter how amusing. All of them were reaching the end of their patience for lengthy travel. The coming night, however, held no plans for rest.

As the final vestiges of the sun's rays faded from the horizon, the haren and other parents gathered the children back up from their play. Ellowen soon settled into her blanket, holding Rala's hand as the darkness seeped into the cool air around them. Tabolt returned first, then signaled to the Keeper that all was well. Stepping up into their aravel, he lovingly observed the sweet repose of his daughter and her little friend. His walking stick and knapsack had been exchanged for a bow and a quiver full of arrows. His wife joined him and they side hugged each other. Their eyes, glimmering from the moonlight easing onto the hills, stared out towards their destination in unease.

When Eh'mal returned with the same signal, it was time to begin. The First rallied a gust of wind to start the race north toward the Imperial Highway, even as the Keeper maintained the balance of the convoy and illuminated the path before them. The magical wind filling the aravels' red sails caused the masts to creak from the strain, but they held, strong and flexible. The halla let loose at full gallop across the under brush. The weight of the aravels no longer slowing them down as their bounding hooves thundered across in a once silent night. The children, awake from all the rough motion, began whooping encouragement to the grand white halla, urging them on to higher speeds.

Approaching the drainage dip just before the road, the Halla pairs leapt, not missing a step as their hooves clattered against the cobbles on the other side. The aravels themselves dipped down into and then up and over, making the riders stomachs tingle from the free fall. The wooden wheels rumbled over the smooth, if cracked, stone of the Imperial Highway even as the excited children chattered and laughed from the ride. The adults metaphorically held their breath as their eyes darted around looking for possibilities of attack from the dark road forward and back. Many a bow had been notched just in case. The children, not understanding the seriousness of the situation, thought it all grand fun.

Getting off the Imperial Highway seven miles up the road reduced anxiety quite a lot. They kept the harsh pace even as the even ground gave way to the western foothills of the Frostbacks. It was not until the crumbling cobbles finally faded from view that they all mentally sighed with relief and the pace slowed back down to normal. The halla were in a bit of a froth, and they could not stop for the night until they'd cooled down. Not so for the elven children, most of whom had already snuggled down into their blankets to sleep. Another week at this pace, and they would arrive at their destination.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------  
As the sun began to set upon the rocks and ruins of the Exalted Plains, the aravels slowed to a stop next to the meeting of two steep stone enscarpments. Four elven Hunters stood upon the path, more for guidance of the arriving clans than to fight off an attack. All of the clan perked up at the obvious sign of arrival and Ellowen abruptly climbed out of the aravel while her parents were distracted. She ran ahead, dodging around the legs of the Keeper and his first, only to be stopped by the hands of the front pair of hunters when she reached them.

"Da'len, you must wait for the rest of your clan!" Lana called out to Ellowen. Lana made her apologies to the Keeper and his First as she passed them to catch up with her way ward daughter.

The sentinels laughed, talking to Lana, but Ellowen paid them no mind even as she didn't push her luck much farther. She leaned against the restraint the sentinels had placed upon her in an attempt to get a better look of what lay ahead. Unfortunately, it was not enough to manage to look through the wide break in the rocks to the steppe beyond.

Lana grasped her at this moment, tugging her gently away from her captors. "Ellowen!" Lana began to scold her. "It is a good thing we have a calm Keeper and we are in a safe place. What you did would have scared me into the arms of Falon'Din--"

"Ah! Lana, you wound me so. That you would even consider choosing another!" Tabolt interjected, as he came up between his wife and child. He patted Ellowen on her head, and she smiled.

Lana's severe expression softened. "Tabolt, you spoil her so. We can't just-"

"Come on, Lana. It's Arlathvhen, we've arrived! It's been a long journey. You'd have leapt to see the place just as she did if your feet weren't so sore."

Lana begrudgingly agreed. "It is very good to have finally arrived, that it true."

Having won, Tabolt swung his daughter up into the air. Ellowen squealed in surprised delight. She had a big smile on her face as she settled on her father's shoulders. Lana had quite the bemused expression on her face. Their discussion with the elven hunters guarding the path complete, the Keeper went on toward the Arlathvhen as his First began walking back at the lead aravel. Tabolt began to follow in the footsteps of their Keeper.

"Tabolt, what about the aravel?" Lana reminded him.

Tabolt freed one hand from one of Ellowen's and waved at her to join them. "The Halla know enough to follow the one before them. Let's go!"

Ellowen's expression changed from weary curiosity to that of excited delight as they rounded the tall stones. Most of the incoming aravels simply parked themselves in a very large circle, incorporating the surrounding boulders; a built in wall to delineate the protected borders of the event. Tents, put together from the sails of the Aravels themselves, filled the view. Some of the aravels were pushed together to make stages, empty as of right now, but full of promising entertainment to come. More tents were being put up as they walked. Towards the center was the biggest tent of them all and even that was growing, as more partitions were being added. Nearest the river was a pen, where the arriving halla were led to, the new and young hall among them. Bonfires were carefully tended by heathkeeper's apprentices so as not to spread, but here and there people were starting to light torches or candles to better light the work. Tabolt, Lana, and Ellowen walked around for a while, greeting those they recognized. Soon enough, however, those with no tasks to do started to gather around the announcement place. 

Keeper Illan'ta, hahren'al, took the stage created by two aravels pushed together, their sails removed. Touching one hand to her throat, she spoke with the voice of many as it reached all in attendance. "We are the lucky and unlucky ones. We are the ones who have lived to tell the tales of those we once knew. We are the ones who carry the burdens of things witnessed, created, and lost. We are the ones who must never let those who are not with us be forgotten. Join me now, in a short prayer."

Keeper Illan'ta raised her arms wide as if to embrace them all. All of the elves spoke at once, drowning out the Keeper's voice. "O Falon'Din, Lethanavir. Guide their feet, calm their souls, and lead them to their rest." The prayer complete, she lowered her arms.

Resuming her hand's position at her throat to enhance her voice, she spoke again. "Now, lethalin, if each family that has lost someone dear to you would collect one sapling, cedar branch, and oak staff from the aravel by hearthmistress Adjul, Hahren Sarn will speak as we walk along the Dirth unto the final resting place."

Over half the families present turned in that direction, with the head of each breaking off to create a que. This wasn't an unusual number. If humans did not get them, there was the harsh living upon the land and old age to claim them as well. Some time later, the families had all collected their burial rite accoutrements, and gathered in a core group at the side of camp. Hahren Sarn joined them and Keeper illan'ta urged people to form a line and head west. Those who would not be planting a sapling, but wanted to take part, followed at a respectful distance as the sun finally set fully and cast darkness upon them all. Tabolt and his family were among the respectful.

As they neared the outer walls of the burial grounds, the Hahren began the tale.

"Once, the elvhen never aged. When it came time for these elders to take the next part of their journey, they would enter uthenara and walk a path beyond the Veil with Falon'Din and his brother, Dirthamen. There, they would never tire or become lost, due to the guidance of Falon'Din. There, they would learn the secrets of dreams and the wisdom shared by Dirthamen."

The story continued as they walked. Some of those who had lost someone dear to them more recently cried, for there was no shame. 

"Humans came upon the land and made us quicken, and die. And the wisdom that our dreamers carried never made it back to the Elvhen. Still, Falon'din guided them, seeing that in this time, we needed him more than ever."  


Those with saplings fanned out to find suitable spots to plant theirs, while the respectful observers remained outside the burial walls. 

"Then Fen'Harel caused the gods to be shut away from us, and those who passed no longer had Falon'Din to guide them. And so we learned to lay our loved ones to rest with an oaken staff, to keep them from faltering along the paths, and a cedar branch, to scatter the servants of Dirthamen.

The Hahren kept silent as the holes were dug, holding his torch high. A small group tidied the ancient crypts that spotted the area. Roots of their trees, once saplings, had pushed them to the surface where they gathered leaves and dirt. When all were done, Hahren Sarn raised his voice loudly, no magic to enhance the sound.

"Lethanavir, master-scryer, be their guide! Through shapeless worlds and airless skies." The rest of those present joined in for the last part. "May Fen' Harel never catch their scent."

Their small burdens buried, the group made their way back to the circle of aravels. It was nearing time for young ones to rest and even as Ellowyn protested, she yawned. 

"Oh, Tabolt. Let her see the dome get raised. You only see it at the very start."

"Hmm, yes. Thanks for reminding me. Lana."

"What's a dome?"

From the center of the Aravel circle rose a bright steamer of light that burst into dimmer grey streamers that shot out beyond the perimeter. Ellowen gasped in surprised delight, reaching out one hand as if to capture one of the streamers. As the streamers touched ground, the space between them filled with a glimmering wall of energy. But even as the family trio drew nearer, holding hands, it began to fade. Families ahead of them passed through it and disappeared, and then even the aravels beyond faded to nothing but darkened trees and rocks.

Ellowen’s eyes went wide. “What happened to them?!” She pulled back on her parent’s hands, refusing to move forward out of fear. 

“Shh shh,” Lana consoled, kneeling down on one knee. “It’s safe, da’len. It’s protective barrier put up around the Arlathvhen that makes us invisible to outsiders. This way we know Templars and their sort will not interrupt our fun and games. I shall show you.”

And with that, Lana stood once again. As Ellowen clasped her father’s hand in worry, Lana passed the thres hhold and disappeared. A moment later, she popped back into existence.

Ellowen, still unsure, let go of her father’s hand. She scurried forward to her mother. Carefully, she reached out one hand and saw it disappear, then yanked it back. It was still intact. She laughed and repeated it over and over a few times.

Tabolt joined the pair and they headed toward where their clan had parked their aravels. It was time to eat and rest for the night after such a long journey.


	3. Arlathvhen, Day 2, Part 1

“Da’lens!” A voice rang out across the paddock filled with baby halla and all children under the age of ten. “My name is Elaise. I act as Hearth mistress to clan Hawen Today, I work with Halla Keeper Patel in watching you while the older ones work and prepare for a day of fun.” She strode across the path in front of them. “A bit of role call and, by association, introductions to the rest of your new friends. Please raise one arm when I call your name.”

“From Clan Surana, we have Ellowen, Rala, and Kita, Breen, and Nara. From Clan Sabrae, we have Ashara, Tamlen, Fanarel, Krallex, and Sienna. From clan Venath we have Marren, Vellanna, Seranni. From clan Ralaferin , Ariane--”

“Your daughter?”

Ashalla looked to the left when the Halla Keeper walked towards her, even as the role call continued.“Sorry to interrupt your thoughts. I tend halla on behalf of clan Surana. My name is Patel. ”

“I’m Ashalle, clan Sabrae.” She returned her gaze back to her ward. “I have raised her as my own since she was a babe. So, yes, I call her daughter.”

They took a moment to watch Ashara together. Her white blonde hair trickled over her dusky brow in a messy pony tail. One of the halla were even now nuzzling into her lap, Ashara scritching it behind the stubs of it’s future horns. 

“Even I don’t have such a way with halla. Does she come from a line of magic?”

“Her father was the Keeper of Clan Sabrae before Marethari. Her mother a hunter from another clan. She is eight years old, but other than her...affinity for wild life, there have been no other signs.”

Patel smiled brightly at Ashalla, his demeanor radiating calm. “Perhaps the Creators will bless her yet. Magic is such a precious resource.”

The baeing of one of the baby halla caught his attention. “Excuse me, I have to put the respect of Ghi’lain nain into some of these wee demons.” 

Ashara then looked up at Ashalle with curious golden eyes. Ashalle waved farewell, one more time, before departing.  
\----  
“Now now, quit tugging on it’s ears!” Patel ordered, shooing Maren away from the small thing. “You kids just need some entertainment. I’m no Hahren, but I know the stories well enough, and I will remind you why you mustn’t tug Halla ears.” 

The children shuffled towards him. “Here, have a seat on the grass there. Alright. You listening? Good.”

“Ghilan'nain was just like you and I once; flesh and blood.. A child of the Elvhen, proud in our ways. But this was from a time when all Elvhen had magic so that her being a hunter for her people was not so strange. Her hair was- why very similar to Ashara’s there.” Some of the children turned to look at Ashara then whipped their heads back to Patel to listen. 

“She was beloved by Andruil for following her will so closely. One day, a strange hunter came into the forest and killed a hawk. A mistake on his part, for that was one of Andruil’s favorite animals. Ghilan’nain found him and cursed him in Andruil’s name. This curse caused all his attempts to catch food for his supper to go awry. Driven by hunger, he hatched a cruel plan of vengeance upon Ghilan’nain. He spoke sweet words of contrition to her and lured her away alone, where he bound and blinded her. When he left, Andruil sent hares to chew Ghilan’nain’s bindings and free her. But Andruil could not heal her blindness and so, turned her into a Halla instead. This is not where the tale ends, da’len, and it turns darker still.” 

The children were quiet and rapt, Ellowen herself mouth partially open in complete absorption.

“For Ghilan’nain, even as a Halla, held vengeance for the hunter’s actions close to her heart. She found her Elvhen sisters and together they hunted the Hunter. In support, Andruil’s favorite creature, the hawks, followed. When they found him, they overwhelmed him , bound him, and bade the hawks peck his eyes out so that he would be blind just as Ghilan’nain had been blinded. They left him there, and he starved to death.”

The children’s eyes grew wide in horror, none of them having heard this portion of the story before.

“And that’s why we must be kind to the Halla, for they are the children of Ghilan’nain.” Patel finished to the silent group. 

“That’s not how it goes,” Vallana spoke up with confidence . The other children stared at her for defying an adult.

Hahren Patel turned a serious eye on her. “Oh? And what did you think the tale meant by justice? A spanking?”

Valanna looked perplexed and said no more. It was at this moment Elaise came to their huddled semi circle.

“I’ve made blueberry porridge at the fire, who wants some?”

All the children stared at her wide eyed.

“My, what faces! Patel, what were you just telling them?”

“I was just keeping them entertained, is all. Teaching them to respect halla.” Patel replied.

Elaise harrumphed. “Ignore him, da’len. Patel is sharp in his protection of his wards and friends. Follow me, a nice bowl of warm porridge will get you back into sorts.”  
\----  
Tamlen dragged his feet, lingering back with Ashara. AS soon as Patel’s back was turned to tend to the halla, he tugged her arm to stop. Frustration underscored his harsh murmer

“This is boring. We’re almost fledglings, not babies to be locked up with toddlers and fuzzy animals while people tell us stories.”

Uncertain in the face of her more strongly willed companion, Ashara spoke up. “I dunno, I rather like the halla, Tamlen, they’re very nice.”

“Nice isn’t fun, Ash.”

Fanarel, their mutual friend, broke up from the porridge line and came back to see what they were up to.

“Not hungry?”

“We’re sneaking out, Fanarel.”

Ashara looked perturbed at the abrupt announcement of such a plan but said nothing. Fanarel didn’t suffer the same lack of speech.

“I like adventures too, Tamlen, but I’m not so sure. We’re in a place we don’t know-”

“Even better. Exploring will actually find something. Something cool. Like an ancient sword or-”

“A sword? My ma said to my pa that it’s not safe outside the barrier.”

“Whatever,“ Tamlen quipped. “Only question is, are you coming or what?”

Fanarel looked round the paddock, then back to the Hearthmistress who was still doling out helpings of the porridge.

He ran a hand through his short hair and looked down. “No. But I won’t tell on you either.” Fanarel quickly assured.

“Great. Keep us covered, eh?” and swiftly, Tamlen grabbed Ashara’s hand and pulled her to the edge of the paddock that ended near a rock. Tamlen quickly climbed over, then helped Ashara to do the same. Moments later, they were hidden from Fanarel’s sight. He kicked a rock and returned to the porridge line.  
\-----  
Ashara scurried along behind Tamlen, following closely. She knew she should feel bad for leaving the paddock. She knew she should feel afraid of possible punishment later. But those were two feelings she never could put her heart into when Tamlen was leading her on another adventure. A smile played at her lips as she panted a bit to keep up with him as he ran from rock to tent to rock and so on. Tamlen paused, inviting her to peer in between the bright red sails repurposed as lodgings. They saw adult Halla by their tenders, brushed and stroked and murmured to. Adult elves, some familiar, some not, walked by busy carrying wooden poles, lengths of rope, and stone. 

“The track is going to be laid around just the inside of the aravels! Yes, attach the ropes between to mark it. You can bring the poles and stone to the south end!” The elven man shouting directions suddenly pointed toward them, and they both gasped, dodging to the left. They held their breath waiting for orders to gather the two stray dalish kids to come- but they did not. 

Ashara giggled, and Tamlen shushed her by putting a finger to his lips, even as he himself was grinning. And they hurried on, working their way to the south along the river so as to eventually escape the encampment. Nearing their goal, they stopped quickly when they heard the shout.

“Someone approaches!” An elven man shouted, raising his bow as other hunters near him did the same. 

Tamlen and Ashara pressed themselves against a boulder. This was not as funny as the last time, considering. They could see nothing, as both had their faces pressed close to the stone they hid behind, their own breath bouncing back on their skin.

“Andaran atish’an, Lethallan. I am Ghi’ral, first of Clan Ghi’lain.” A voice declared.

Ashara peeked over Tamlen’s shoulder to get a look. A tan elven man riding on a creature Ashara had never seen came clopping forward and then stopped just twenty yards short of where the stone marked the barrier. It seemed twice the size of most halla, brown fur with striking white markings, and antlers spanning out horizontally as if to hold something. Nothing like the delicate antlers of the halla she’d grown used to. 

“Clan Ghi’lain?” A pause, tension in the air, although the tone was curious. “You were expected but you ride in a day late. Is there someone already within who can verify you do not follow the Vir Banal'ras?”

“Yes,” the man replied. “Keeper Deshanna Istimaethoriel Lavellan may verify. Or her first, Anise.”

“Eh’mal,” called one hunter to the other. “Go to the Keeper’s tent and respectfully ask those by that name to come out.”

Eh’ mal gave his bow over to another hunter and raced away. 

The feeling was tense among the guards, and Tamlen and Ashara knew better than to leave their spot hidden behind the boulder. Passerby came by to gawk, curious to see how things would unfold. 

Finally, a raven hair elven woman with staff in hand was led through the crowd by Eh’mal. Her gait was graceful and confident as she strode toward the rocks marking the barrier. Stamping her staff into the ground right before her, she stood straight and tall to peer through them. 

“I am Anise, First to Clan Lavellan.” Her voice rang across the crowd. “I demand that you dismount so that I may see you clearly.”

The elven man, Ghi’ral, did so. He came towards the two rocks, then stopped short of it ten yards. Giving a bow and flourish of his hands, he called back.

“Do I pass the test, Anise?”

A great gust of unnatural wind blew against him, knocking him flat on his back. The Red Hart behind him reared. The crowd gasped, and the Archers tensed.

Ghi’ral came up on one elbow, coughing.

“May Mythal snatch the vallaslin off your face, Anise, why’d you have to go and do that?!”

“Ho, Hunters. He is who he says he is. Everyone go on about your business!” She declared to the crowd. As they began to disperse, Anise strode through the barrier and offered Ghi’ral a hand.

Ghi’ral eyed her hand glumly, but took it anyway and came to his feet. His look spoke volumes.

“It’s not just my own skin involved, Ghi’ral.” She answered his look, her tone unrepentant as she turned back to stand by the paired statues marking the entrance.

Ghi’ral let out a great piercing whistle, and twenty other riders on the same large brown hoofed creatures came into view, making their way toward the path into the encampment. Ghi’ral’s creature joined the rest. Anise and Ghi’ral walked side by side into camp and they came within ten feet of where Ashara and Tamlen stayed hidden behind the boulder. 

Her voice was quieter now, for private conversation, but the two children could hear. “Tell, me, Ghi’ral, what has brought you and yours a day late? When your clan did not join us before the raising of the dome, we thought your clan had dropped out of coming. Where is your Keeper?”

“He’s with the aravels, Anise, they had to wait a few miles out overnight.” He answered, wiping at his clothes to get a bit of grass off from his fall. ‘My group way laid the Orlesian Dalish Hunters that had caught on to our gathering. We ended up riding all night to muddy the tracks and lead them east as if we were heading to the Frostbacks.” He grinned, but it was a smile that spoke of disgust. “One hint of their rival dog lords does usually put them off.“

“Very well, then. Join me in the Keeper’s tent and we’ll share the news. May Ghilain’nain’s children guide them safely here soon.”

The adult elves departed, their private conversation ended. As Tamlen made an assessment of the area, Ashara peaked over his shoulder at the strange animals that had come with ‘Ghi’ral’.

Her eyes were not on the creature for long before it turned its snout her way, it’s ear pricking in alert. She was startled but fascinated as impressions of a heart beating with strength, safe, curiousity-- 

“Now’s our chance, Ash.” Tamlen whispered harshly as he yanked her from the side of the boulder, into the gap between two statues and beyond.

That’s all it took. They were outside the protection of the dome.

Tamlen continued to grasp her forearm, tugging her along the natural path found among the trees. Looking back, she had already lost sight of anything that marked the Dome’s boundary. She yanked back.

“Ash,” Tamlen reacted, questioning.

Ashara rubbed at her forearm a bit. “How are we going to find our way back if we can’t even see the dome from this side, Tamlen?

Tamlen frowned in consternation, then looked around. He grinned. “Help me collect some pebbles and sticks, Ash.”

Several minutes later, Tamlen had fashioned their findings into the shape of an arrow.

“There.” Tamlen declared, sounding quite satisfied with himself. “Let’s go.”

\------

They walked a while over the plains. Concerned about being seen, even as he blustered forward, Tamlen led the two of them into a small copse of trees. These were few and far between considering the craggy shores that made up the river. There, they found a few tree stumps along with a pile of branches stipped from trunks no longer present . An axe lay resting on a stump and Tamlen seized upon it, hoisting it into the air. 

“I am Nomaris and this is my axe!” Tamlen cried, deepening his voice for effect. 

Ashara was smiling but winced a bit in fear as Tamlen swung the axe around with both hands as if attacking an invisible assailant. He stopped the swinging as quickly as he began and grinned at her. He then sprinted a few feet to the nearest tree, took aim, and managed to sink it just enough into the tree to make it stick.

He sprinted back, and climbed to stand upon one of the stumps. He placed one fist on his hip and then pointed at the axe. Ashara merely followed him with her eyes and a smile.

“I am Nomaris and that is my axe!" Tamlen began, puffing out his chest and assuming the deep voice again. “Let it remain here until my people are free, to mark my soul,” He elaborated by placing his pointed hand upon his heart, “which shall never rest!" He ended. 

“Andrale!” He shouted, turning to her. Ashara startled and then laughed, covering her mouth, shy of being as loud as Tamlen. 

He hopped down from the stump and clutched her hands dramatically. “As the last remaining Emerald Knight, I must put my body into eternal sleep. Sing me a ballad about my never resting soul!” he turned, still clutching one of her hands in his as he pointed. “To the river!”  
\--------------

Horses hooves thundering through

“Lent!” The forward horseman cried.

The eight horseman slowed their horses into a walk, small amounts of foam at their mouths round the bit.

“Ridiculous!” a second chevelier exclaimed. “So many sightings of the red rabbits and we’ve seen less game than than Fredrick’s lain with a woman.”

“You’re an arse, Boswain.” Fredrick replied, but good naturedly. “I’ve got to take a leak.” And with a wave from the forward horseman, they all came to a stop and Frederick slid off the saddle. He siddled up to a tree. The remaining horsed men drew out water sacks while another passed a silver flask between them.

“We’d have wet our blades by now if we’d brought the hounds, Boswain. You swore up and down they weren’t needed.”

“It’d have been a big bother to handle them all on a long hunting trek like this one, Marlan” Boswain said back, a twinge of whining to his town. 

“We’d have only needed the one!” Marlan said back, irritated. 

“Hey!” Frederick called out, giving his hips a bit of a shake before organizing flaps. “You see that?”

Marlan frowned, “What?”

“Pile of pebbles over there look like a shape.”

Boswain rolled his eyes. “Seeing shapes in the rocks suddenly important?”

“No, wait.” Marlan interrupted, suddenly becoming alert as he kicked his horse into a canter to get closer to where Frederick had been pointing. “I see it, too.”

Boswain and the rest of the party pulled around the curious creation. Frederick, having regained his horse, joins them

“Think it may be a sign of the rabbits?”

Boswain rubbed his stubbled chin. “Considering the recent number of sightings, this could very definitely be their talking to one another. What do you think, Captain Marlan?”

An expression of excited anticipation crossed his face. “I think we’ll be getting our blades wet today afterall.” He reined his horse in to follow the direction the arrow had pointed.

Marlan drew his sword. “Get them at the ready, men. We don’t know how close we just may be.“

There horses at a steady walk, in a 2 by 2 formation, they made their way forward.

\--------  
Tamlen took off his clothes and pushed into the slow-moving water. It came up to his waist very quickly. Ashara stoped with the water at mid-calf and called out to him,, 

"Don't get pulled in by the undertow." 

Tamlen’s only response to this was to dive in head-first splashing Ashara with his kicking feet. He pops up to catch a breath and splashes Ashara again. Ashara scrunched up her face, holding her dampened shift up. 

“That's what you get for keeping your clothes on! Go on and take them off or Hahren is going to know that we went swimming."

Ashara looked unconvinced and didn’t immediately aquiece, instead considering the length of the shore on both sides. Inevitably, she splashed back to the shore and proceeded to take off her shift. The air was warm but the river water was cold from its source, the Frostback Mountains. She shivered initially, but got used to it soon enough. She crouched down and began digging around in the rocks and the mud looking for crawdads. 

Tamlin had been swimming, slowly going downstream even as he swam against the current. He paddled into the shallow end and stood up, looking around curiously at the other side of the river.

He had to shout to be heard clearly. “Hey, Ash, think I can cross it and make it up to that Fen’Harel statue way up there?”

Ashara stood up from her crawdad hunting to see the statue. Tamlen turned to look at her for her response and caught sight of a human boy sitting on a small boulder. Just watching, a pile of sticks to indicate his initial task before his becoming a voyeur on the ground beside him.

Tamlen, shouted, alarmed, “Ashara!” as he splashed back towards her in the shallow end of the river bank. 

Ashara stared at Tamlen’s frightened face wide eyed, then looked around for the implied danger, catching sight of the human boy herself. Tamlen arrived, grasping her around her upper arm with intent to flee. The human boy remained on his boulder and it became clear that he was just as startled by their presence as they were by his.

Their gazes locked across the space for many heavy moments. Clothed simply, the boy had brown hair hanging around his ears and dirt marking his hands and face. The standoff was finally interrupted by a whimper from Ashara. The noise shocked Tamlen into action. Letting go of Ashara, he ran towards the boy, arms wide, uncaring of his nudity and shouting intelligible angry noises. The human boy spooked, tearing off into the opposite direction. Tamlen stopped, panting, and considered his next move.

“Tamlen?” Ashara called. She’d walked out of the water and now stood next to their belongings, shivering.

Tamlen grabbed a thick branch up out of the pile the human child had left behind and marched back to Ashara. Dropping it, he grabbed his trousers and shoved one foot in.  
“Get dressed, Ash.” 

Uncertain about his mood, she pulled the shift up over her head and let it drop, poking both arms through before stepping into her thong sandals. Tamlen had finished as well. He took Ashara’s hand and picked up the thick branch again.

“Let’s go.”  
\-----------------  
Ashara pulled from Tamlen’s grasp as they neared the enchanted dome.

“Tamlen,”

“Ash, come-”

“The arrow.”

Tamlen looked more closely. What appeared to be be divots made by hooves had kicked up the entire area, and the arrow marker made of stones and sticks were hardly still visible as what they had created a few hours before.

“Tamlen?”

“Another clan arrived.” He said confidently, grabbing her hand again and tugging. “Or deer.” He added, sounding more uncertain, speeding them up. 

“Now be quiet, or the hunters will notice,” He said, whispering harshly, as they came along side the stone that marked the place where they’d left. Her dropped her hand and crouched, and Ashara mimicked him. They crept along then stepped through.

One moment they were among the quiet boulders of the Exalted Plains. The next, they were encapsulated by shouts and chaos. Startled, they scampered left and pushed themselves up against one of the aravels. Hunters in groups of eight carrying spears and bows marched past, arriving before the elven woman they recognized from earlier. Anise Lavellan, raven hair a mess and standing on the two aravels that had been pushed together.

Her voice rang out across the group. “Eh’mal and Be’lan’s teams will recheck the inner perimeter while I and Ghi’ral will lead two teams to follow the Orlesians tracks. Anyone who doesn’t know what they should be doing, report to Keeper Illan’ta.”

“There you are,” A voice said to their left, starting Ashara enough that she cried out. It was Hahren Patel. He grabbed them each by a shoulder and started hurrying them away from the center of chaos.

“I should be mad enough to curse you, but I’m just relieved you’re alright. After the attack, heads were counted. You can’t be running off! Certainly not when there are armed humans going round killing people.”

Both Tamlen and Ashara blanched and Ashara burst into tears. “people are dead?” She cried.

“No.” Finally out of the rushing teams of hunters and supporting mages, Hahren Patel pulled them over to the side and knelt down. 

“At least, none of the People. Shhh.” he said, patting Ashara gently on the head. Tamlen swallowed, his tense narrow shoulders relaxing. 

“Dry you tears, Lethallin. The only dead are the shem who threatened Arlathvhen. A couple of hunters were injured, but nothing the Keepers and their apprentices can’t handle.”

Ashara wiped her cheeks and nodded. Tamlen cast his eyes to the ground, chewing his lip. He looked up at Hahren Patel.

“It’s my fau--” Patel hugged the children close to allow an elven woman by, shaking a large ladel.

“Get those rags in a boiling pot immediately, it’s not like it’s June’s Knot, for Mythal’s sake!” A hearthmistress cried, rushing over to one of the pots manned by a young apprentice.

“Come, da’lens. Enough excitement here, let’s return to the others.” Ashara was led away by Patel while Tamlen gave one long glance to the chaos before turning away as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nomaris was an Emerald Knight listed in the Codex, and Andrale known for her singing voice, so I assumed she was a bard.


End file.
